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I’ll update this in some more depth this evening in my notebook, but John Gall has been released so that he can go play in Korea.

From a baseball standpoint, it’s not necessarily a huge deal, as Gall didn’t appear to figure much in the organization’s plans. Personally, I’m delighted for Gall.

It became quite clear that he needed a change of scenery, and I found myself hoping he would be traded — not in order to get anything in return, but to give him a fresh start somewhere. This should do the trick. He’ll make some money in Korea, hopefully hit the ball well and have another line on his resume for when he comes back.

I don’t ever expect Gall will be a big league star. He may not even be a starter. But I think he’s good enough to have a spot on a Major League roster, and I hope he gets it.

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Do you think that this move is similar to the move we made with Ponson, being that we’re making room to move someone in? I hope so.

Also, I heard somewhere a few years ago when we picked up Larry Walker that Frank Catalanatto might be coming to the Birds. Do you think this could still be an option today or are his numbers too good for Toronto to let go?

Let me ask this for all those who thought it such a harmless deal to pick up Weaver, who truely proved his worth last night. What do you think we could have picked up with a package of Evens, Gall (who as mindblowing as it is was just released) and one of our starters, not so much Ponson either? That would be a decent deal for a half decent batter with a good average with runners on base. Now don’t get me wrong, Gall needed a way out or he’d be looking to find out Bo Harts’ address. Waiste not want not my friends. The team needs a bat….period. No matter how many languages you tell yourself that it’s alright, the offense is there, and if only Marquis could do this or that, then he’ll get control. Just as Weaver was only an 11 game winner with the most powerfull team in baseball in recent (or even not so recent) history, Marquis is obviously untrainable, inconsistant, and should be sold before he just walks away and we get nothing in return. If anyone thinks that the team we have now with one more quality starter is going to contend, think back to the White Sox series. That was not a fluke, that was just a good ol’ wippin from one team better than another.

Letting Gall go is not a precursor to anything. He had no chance of ever having a real long look here. They knew it, he knew it, his agent knew it. Someone called his agent with an opportunity, his agent called the team, and everybody agreed that it was for the best that he go.

Weaver got rocked but it’s only one start. I’ll give him at least 3 before I pass judgement. He didn’t pitch that bad. His fastball touched 94 and he had some decent breaking balls. I think it was bad pitch selection and that can be fixed.

No one is going to trade for Gall. Why would anyone trade for a 28 yr old decent hitting, bad fielding OF? I’m sure many teams have the same type of player on their AAA rosters.

As for Evans, he is having a career year. Is this a break-out year or just a one year wonder? He had done NOTHING for 4 years prior to this year. I thought it was worth the gamble. Besides, we have other OF prospects in the minors; Gorecki, Haerther, Stavinoha, Rasmus, even Schumaker.

One final thing, we need more than a bat. If Weaver doesn’t pan out and Mulder doesn’t come back, the Cards are in big trouble.

That’s just the melencoly remarks that drove my comment in the first place. Weavers’ ERA? what was it again? What year again was he even a 15 game winner? Smell the stink buddy. And as for the trade, the comment was made as a package not Gall, or any of them alone. Lets say you have 3 pieces of **** in your driveway, and are looking to get a new car but have no dough for down pays. Are you going to call a tow truck and have the possible down payment hauled to the dump? No, at least I hope not. Why? Cause that’s dumb! Besides if there was ever a team that was going to pick up a half *** player that is old and basically considered done, it would probably be someone that would do something like pick up Ponson, or maybe a Jeff Weaver. HA HA HA but I don’t know anyone like that. Listen, I love the Cardinals with much passion for the game, and I want Albert to be wearing a ring. He deserves it, and if Stl. doesn’t put out some better effort to make that happen, well, baseball is now a game invaded by the AGENT$$$$$$ lets’ put it that way.

I wish he had gotten more of a chance with the Cards. 49 ABs is not enough to find out what he could have done. Is his defense that bad? I think this was always just a convenient excuse for management to keep him down in the minors.

Looking back, he should have been brought up in 2003, the year before we acquired Reggie Sanders. He had just hit 20 HRs in the minors. He could have played LF and some 1B. See what he can do. If he stuck, great. If not, trade him then and at least get something in return.

Instead we signed Tino Martinez and let Pujols play LF.

I wish Gall well and I hope he plays again in the majors but I feel his days are past.

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